The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-05-05


feet in breadth at the base. On each of the
four sides are three openings, at equal dis
tanccs. making twelve gateways in the circuit.
In this design we are reminded of ancient
Thebes with her hundred gates. The central
gateway OH each of the sides is much the arg
est; the width being sufficient fora company of
soldiers to pass out abreast. From the central
outlet facing the Muskingum is Il courtway
formed of two parallel walls OF earth two hum
dred and thirty-onc feet distant from each 9TH
er. These walls on the inside are twcnty-one
feet in hight. and forty-two feet broad at the
base. On the outside they are only five feet
high. If they were designed by their builders
for protection, it would seem that the outside
would have been made the highest. These
walls form a passage four hundred feet long
leading bya gradual descent down to the river.
The bottom of this passage-way is crowned at
the centre like Il well built turnpike. Within
the main walls of 1.-The Town." at the north
west corner, is an oblong elevated mound two
hundred feet long by one hundred and thirty
two feet broad 1t i, only ten feet high, per-
fectly level on the top, while the sides are per-
pendicuar. At the exact centre of the sides
the earth is projected, forming gradual a>ccnt>
six feet wide to the top like the log-way Of an
old fashioned saw mill. Some have thought
that this was a sacriIicial mound. | am more
inclined to the opinion that it was an obscrva-
tory, or pleasure resort. Here the aged and i'll
firm could sit during the day, bathing in the
suns rays and drinking in the halmy air
"Till twilight came, and lovers walked an,,
WOoed,
In forgotten language; and old tunes.
From instruments of aforementioned forms,
Gave the soft winds Il voice.
Near the south wall is another elevated
square, one hundred and fifty by one hundred
and thirty feet in area. and eight feet in height
1t is similar to the other with the one except
ion that instead Of an ascent On the outside
there is a hollow passage ten feet wide leading
twenty feet towards the centre and then rising
with Il gradual slope to the top. At the south
east corner l.,
STILL ANOTHER OF THESE FLATTENED MOUNDS
sixty by one hundred and eight feet, with
asccntS at the ends; but this is moi as perfect
as the others. Near the centre of ''Thc Town
is Il circular mound thirty feet IN diameter and
ten feet high; while close by are four excava-
tions at equal distances and facing the cardinal
points. Many years ago this mound was
opened and Il skeleton of immense size found
in the vauted arch beneath. Lying by its side
Were three large ornaments for Il swor,l-belt
or bucker, composed of copper and ovcrad
with thick plate of silver. The fronts are
slightly convex, with Il depression or cup on the
t\yn MI brl
inches across. The metallic portions of the
scabbard We're also found lying by its side
The hilt of the sword and six inches of the
sheath. made of solid silver, We're found y the
hip bone of the skeleton; while the lower end,
made of copper, was near the bones of the
feet The main body of the >cabbard was llii-
,loubtcdly made of leather which had long
since disappeared. The silver and copper por-
tons when found were filled with nIydi-cd
u"n, or rust. This shows that the sword it.
self must have been made of iron or steel and
is sufficient evidence of its immense antiquity.
DR.. $. Z. lIildretli, who mace the excavation.
states that when the vault was first opened the
skeleton retained its form for about one minute
and then erumbIel into fine dust. The man
was apparently about seven feet high. and the
skull of immense size and beautifully proper
toned. Just above the ear on the right side of
the skull w:l> IA round hole which had every
appearance of having been made By ~ bUUrt.
That he was some distinguished parsonage
there can be no question; and if the above
intination Of the manner of his death is cor
rect ii would show that Gun powder and fire
arms are by no means modern inventions. LII
the South West corner of '.'rhe Town is
scml-crcular parapet. crowned with Il mound.
which stands like a sentinel guarding the open
ing in the wall. \ short distance 10 the South
East there is another series of works called the
"Little Town. These are but half tie Size of
the ones have just described the main wall
enclosing twenty acres. There i gateway in
the centre of each of the sides and another at
each corner, maxim" eight in all. Immense
circular mounds defend the two largest of
the openings from the inside. On the outside
of the
"LIITLE TOWN.
is a mound in the form of Il sugar loaf. and of
magnitude which strikes the beholdcr with
awe and aSton>hment 1t is circular in form.
one hundred and fifty feet in diameter, and
raises its head thirty-ive feet into the air. ON
the outside, and entirely surrounding it. is IL
moat fifteen feet wide, but now nearly filled
up with the debris of agc>. This moat is de
Tended by Il parapct six feet high. through
which iSa gateway twenty feet IN width Trees
are now growing upon it> sides. some "f Which
are more than two feet in lHnrtcr. This
mound has never been oprlrd ~ explored.
Its design. however. is the same those in
tended for >epulchra purposes. No doubt it
contains vault aid the body of some once
noted person iii whose honor il was reared
The spot has been most appropriately selected
as the village cemetery. Cemetery Mound, ;t>
it is called. is at the extreme end of the avenue.
and You approach it through beautiful shade
trees and stately monuments of marble. To
my mind this is a beautiful idea. When the
setting sun has ceased to shine upon the marble
tomb- Of modern frcemen, it still casts its
heightened shadows upon th' mighty tumllus
of by-gone age, beneath which sleeps the
ashes of Il long since forgotten king.
How many nations have pcrishe,l. how
many languages have ceased to exist, how
many splendid civilizations have crumblcd into
ruin. during the period of time which spans
the tremendous gulf between the tumulu> and
the tomb>! The one is representative Of the
religious devotion and .le>potc pomp of the
mighty paSt-the cold marble of the other is
suggestive of the iconocla>ic >kcptcSm of
the nineteenth century! We Iinger for a brief
moment in contemplation of the scene. Seated
upon this Sepulchral mound we look around us
and see the inlubablc evidence of the former
existence of
a CIVILIZATION LONG SINCE persisted
from the earth. This is the tomb, and yonder
is the temple of worship of Il long success
sion of generations whose mouldcring ruins
alone attest their valor aud their fame. These
surrounding valleys once rcsoun,ed the echoes
of their labors, their hunting, their wars, their
music and their pleasures. Oblivion with her
relentless hand has drawn an impenctrablc veil
over their whole history. No lettered page or
scupturcd monument informs lis of their deeds
of valor or their scenes of love. We inquire
why these valleys should be less classic than
the shores of the IlelIeSpont the winds
alone answer as if in mockcry of the dead.
Thermopyla and S:sIanlis remain immortal;
but no Homer has recorded with magic muse